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Canada-New Brunswick Reach Agreement on Funding for Health Accord

FREDERICTON, NB, Dec. 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada's public healthcare system is a source of pride and the Government of Canada and the Government of New Brunswick are committed to ensuring it is there to meet the needs of Canadian families.

Today, the federal government and New Brunswick agreed to new targeted federal funding over 10 years for transformative investments in home care and mental health care.

Over the next 10 years, the federal government will provide New Brunswick with $229.4 million:

$125.1 million for better home care including addressing critical home care infrastructure requirements; and

$104.3 million in support of mental health initiatives.

Under this funding agreement, New Brunswick will be getting its share of the investment in home care and mental health offered by the federal government at the Finance and Health Ministers' Meeting on December 19, 2016. New Brunswick is the first jurisdiction to pursue a new agreement for health care funding with the federal government. Funding will be made available as of April 1, 2017.

In the coming weeks, the two governments will develop performance indicators and mechanisms for annual reporting to citizens, as well as a detailed plan on how these funds will be spent, over and above existing programs. Canada and New Brunswick will work out the details of accountability and reporting, consistent with the pan-Canadian approach envisaged in the federal funding offer of December 19.

As a result of these investments, it is expected that wait times for mental health services for children and youth will be shortened considerably and that the number of patients in hospital who could be supported and better cared for at home or in the community will be reduced.

The targeted investments in home care and mental health care are in addition to the existing legislated commitments through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT), which will continue to grow into the future. This new funding agreement is consistent with the federal investments offered to provincial and territorial governments on December 19. It would be amended to reflect legislated changes to the CHT in the event of a pan-Canadian agreement consistent with the previous federal offer.

Quotes

"We are listening to New Brunswickers, who want us to have a strong partnership with the Trudeau government and who want us to invest in better health care. Today's agreement on funding ensures that we can access funding for home care and mental health this spring that might otherwise have been delayed or lost. This announcement means concrete results for New Brunswickers through increased health care investments."The Honourable Brian GallantPremier of New Brunswick

"Today, Premier Gallant made a decision that is very good news for the people of New Brunswick. The Government of Canada will make significant investments to improve the quality of health care for Canadian families, including increased access to home care and mental health care. I want to thank Premier Gallant and our provincial counterparts in New Brunswick for their vision and leadership." The Honourable Jane PhilpottMinister of Health